President Donald Trump says Democrats are facing a political backlash over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, citing recent polls indicating that the fight in the Senate is also energizing Republicans. (Oct. 4)
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U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, left, speaks to supporters and members of the media after he was endorsed by Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello, right, during a news conference Monday Oct. 1, 2018, in Orlando, Fla.(Photo11: John Raoux, AP)

An independent review of Nelson’s voting record since President Donald Trump took office in January 2017 indicates that while he has opposed Trump on key issues including tax cuts, repeal of the Affordable Care Act and last week's confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, the three-term senator has supported the president more often than not – and more often than most of his Democratic colleagues.

The analysis by CQ Roll call examined 190 votes Nelson has cast from the Jan. 20, 2017 vote to confirm Defense Secretary James Mattis (Nelson was a 'yes') through the Oct. 6 confirmation of Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court (Nelson was a 'no').

Over that roughly 20-month period, Nelson supported Trump 55 percent of the time. Only seven members of the Democratic caucus had higher levels of presidential support.

CQ Roll Call found that Nelson supported the president 50 percent of the time (57 out of 114 roll call votes on the Senate floor) during 2017. That compares to the average Democrat support of 37.5 percent and the average Republican score of 99 percent.

In 2018, Nelson voted with Trump 63 percent of the time (48 of 76 votes so far), compared to 45 percent on average for Democrats and 97 percent on average among Republicans.

In addition, a bipartisan index developed by the Lugar Center in conjunction with Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy ranked Nelson as the 36th most bipartisan senator in 2017. The ranking is based on how often senators co-sponsor legislation with members of the opposing party.

The Senate confirmed Gina Haspel on Thursday as the first female director of the CIA following a difficult nomination process that reopened a debate about brutal interrogation techniques in one of the darkest chapters in the spy agency's history. (May 17)
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President Donald Trump, flanked by Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, left, and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, right, speaks during a bicameral meeting with lawmakers working on the tax cuts in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017.(Photo11: Manuel Balce Ceneta, AP)